Grease mop for dietary control

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is directed to a mop for removing oil or grease from foods during cooking and comprises a base flat strip of molded polypropylene having branches extending from one side of the strip, each branch having a plurality of sub-branches ending therefrom and the strip being rolled in a volute curve and a handle secured to the thus rolled strip on the side away from the branches.

United States Patent 1 Rhodes 1 May 6,1975

[ GREASE MOP FOR DIETARY CONTROL [75] Inventor: Herbert M. Rhodes, New Orleans,

[73] Assignee'. Pro Diet Mop, Inc., New Orleans,

[22] Filed: Nov. 15, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 416,217

[52] U.S. C1. 1. 15/225; 15/159 A; 15/187; 210/D1G. 21; 426/417 [51] Int. Cl. A471 13/20; E021) 15/04 [58] Field of Search 15/187, 159 A, 210 R, 225, 15/226, 229 R, 229 A; 426/417 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,230,573 1/1966 Hilberg 4. 15/147 R X 3,256,545 6/1966 Lewis, Jr et a1. 15/187 X 3,402,416 9/1968 Shaw et a1, i i i 15/187 X 3,748,682 7/1973 Rhodes 15/229 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 924,880 3/1947 France 15/226 304,017 l/l929 United Kingdom 15/229 A OTHER PUBLICATIONS Bulletin 1102 of the Oil Mop Corp, 1101 Edwards Ave, New Orleans, LA., dated Aug. 1, 1971, Title Jimbeaux Mop.

Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wi1kinson, Mawhinney & Theibault [57] ABSTRACT The present disclosure is directed to a mop for removing 01] or grease from foods during cooking and comprises a base flat strip of molded polypropylene having branches extending from one side of the strip, each branch having a plurality of sub-branches ending therefrom and the strip being rolled in a volute curve and a handle secured to the thus rolled strip on the side away from the branches.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 GREASE MOP FOR DIETARY CONTROL An object of the present invention is the provision of a polypropylene mop as a kitchen appliance for use in removing oil or grease which rises to the surface during cooking of certain foods such as gumbo, soups, etc., which mop will attract and remove the oil or grease and which mop may be rinsed out, washed and reused again and again.

A further object of the present invention is the provi sion of a hand mop of the order of the size of a paint brush which may be used to remove oil from the surface of a mixture being either cooked or settled.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an injection molded polypropylene base strip having branches and sub-branches extending therefrom, which strip is rolled in a volute having a handle secured to the side of the base strip opposite the branches which may be applied manually to the surface of cooking liquids to remove surface oil therefrom.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention will be more fully described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which like parts are denoted by reference characters throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mop constructed in accordance with the present invention in complete assembled condition.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the injection molded mop base strip having the branches and subbranches extending therefrom.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 in FlG.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the base strip of FIG. 2 wound in a volute prior to securing the handle thereto.

Referring now to the drawings and for the moment to FIGS. 2 and 3, l designates a substantially flat injection molded base strip of polypropylene. Extending off the bottom of the base strip at spaced intervals are branch strips 11, each of which has a plurality of subbranches 12. The base strip 10, branches 11 and subbranches 12 are a homogeneous mass of injection molded polypropylene. As best seen in FIG. 3, the thickness of the branches 11 shown as B, are of the order of one-half the thickness of the base strip 10, shown as A. The reason for this variation in thickness is for providing a spatial relationship between branches when the base strip 10 is rolled into a volute as shown in FIG. 4. When the base strip 10 is rolled as in FIG. 4, a handle 13 is secured to the top of the rolled strip 10 from which no branches extend. This handle 13 may be secured to the strip 10 by fusion, bonding, gluing or any suitable securing bonding medium.

The mop is now ready for use by manually grasping the handle 13 and passing the branches 11 and sub branches 12 through oil collecting on the top of food being cooked. While the mop works particularly well in soups or gumbo it is very effective in removing oil or grease from solid foods such as pork chops and other meat cuts.

What 1 claim is:

1. An oil or grease mop for dietary control when cooking foods containing oil or grease comprising:

a. a thin long flat base strip of polypropylene,

b. branch strips extending off one side of said strip spaced along said strip at substantially uniform spacings,

c. a plurality of sub-branches extending off each branch strip,

d. said flat base strip being wound in a volute curve so that all depending branches are not placed in radial alignment, and

e. handle means secured to said volute wound base strip on the side of said flat base strip opposite to the side from which said branch strips extend.

2. A mop as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the branch strips is substantially one-half the thickness of the base strip.

3. A mop as claimed in claim 2 wherein the handle means is bonded to the volute base strip. 

1. An oil or grease mop for dietary control when cooking foods containing oil or grease comprising: a. a thin long flat base strip of polypropylene, b. branch strips extending off one side of said strip spaced along said strip at substantially uniform spacings, c. a plurality of sub-branches extending off each branch strip, d. said flat base strip being wound in a volute curve so that all depending branches are not placed in radial alignment, and e. handle means secured to said volute wound base strip on the side of said flat base strip opposite to the side from which said branch strips extend.
 2. A mop as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the branch strips is substantially one-half the thickness of the base strip.
 3. A mop as claimed in claim 2 wherein the handle means is bonded to the volute base strip. 